P&ID: We’re adopting strategies to quash contract -FG
.Opens case against Briton, Nolan
.As Court overrules defendant’s objection to trial
Federal Government on Wednesday said it has started implementing enhanced strategies geared towards setting aside the entire P&ID liability and possible nullification of the contract.
Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, made this known when he shade light on the development relating the case.
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This was contained in a statement issued by Dr. Umar Jibrilu Gwandu, the Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) and made available to newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday.
According to the Minister, under the new strategy “no lawyers were replaced, but more lawyers with specialised skills are locally and internationally engaged to support the existing capacity and initiate fresh suits with a view to achieve the desired result”.
Explaining what he meant by the desired results, the Attorney-General of the Federation said “this time around it is not limited to a challenge on enforcement proceedings, but extended to setting aside the entire liability and probably the nullification of the contract on the basis of which the award was hinged”.
While repudiating the allegation on replacement of the Nigerian Legal team on P&ID, Malami said: “Our lawyers originally engaged have proven to be versatile, competent and effective and constitute our winning team. They have such capacity which we do not doubt in their ability to deliver.
“There was no change of counsel, but enhanced strategy commonly agreed upon which was targeted at getting overall success”, the Minister added.
It would be recalled that Malami described the so-called P&ID contract as a well-organised scam “consciously, deliberately and intentionally orchestrated by some dubious and well-placed Nigerian government officials at the time with some shrewd foreign collaborators to defraud Nigeria and inflict heavy economic and financial loss on Nigeria and its people”.
He vowed that the Nigerian Government will not sell out the interest of the country and the Nigerian people in order to satisfy some elements who are consciously out to extort the Nigerian people for their selfish aggrandizement.
“We will not allow fraudulent local and foreign collaborators to rip off the resources of Nigeria for no just cause but merely to be seen as being nice or ‘investor-friendly,” he reaffirmed.
Meanwhile, the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday overruled James Nolan’s objection to commencement of his trial and ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to open its case.
James Nolan is a signatory to the account of the Process & Industrial Development (P&ID) who had obtained $9.6bn dollars judgment debt against the Federal Government. Nolan is standing trial on 15 count charge before Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court for alleged money laundering.
The Court ruled on Wednesday that the defendant who is yet to meet the conditions of his bail granted last month has been given enough time to prepare for his defence.
Justice Abang said that the commencement of trial of defendant cannot be adjourned based on oral or on the ground that he had filed an application for the variation of bail condition.
However, Justice Abang ordered the Correctional Centres to grant access to the defendant counsel, Paul Erokoro (SAN), to visit the defendant in custody and to receive brief from defendant.
Testifying on the matter, the first prosecution witness, Adewale Akinseye, an account officer with the GTB Abuja, said that Nolan’s two companies namely Goidel Ltd and ICIL Ltd operate six separate accounts with the bank.
Lead in evidence by prosecution counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, the witness said both companies were registered with Corporate Affairs Commission, but he was not sure whether the operator of the companies provided evidence of Special Control Against Money Laundering (SCUAML) at the time the company was opened.
Adewale said that the bank received a request in August from EFCC to provide account documents in respect of the companies.
Adewale said the commercial bank where he works retrieved the documents and forwarded the documents to EFCC, adding that the documents were signed by Idris Giwa and Bentley Ojo who are the bank compliance officers.
The court admitted as exhibits the companies opening bank accounts and EFCC letter to GTB dated September 26, in respect of the investigation activities.
The witness said that James Nolan and Isaac Ebubuotu are signatures to both accounts and either of them can sign.
According to transaction in the bank statement in the Account number 0154696733, a transaction in the sum of 127,000 dollars was credited in February 1, 2018.
On May 2, 2019, a sum of $47, 975 was paid into the account from Industrial Consultant International and on February 13, 2018, transaction of $120, 000.
On Account number 01728629, a sum of N50 million was transferred on December 15, 2015 from Box design to Goidel Ltd.
On November 6, 2016, the sum of N6 million was transferred into the account and on May 6. 2016, a sum of N11 million from Lurgi Consult Ltd to Goidel Ltd.
The witness also read out the following transactions – February 1, 2018 to the effect that the sum of N10 million from Eclate factorial ltd went to Goidel ltd.
On Account Number 0024024414, a sum of $350, 000 was credited to it on September 1, 2014 from Basale Enterprises and on September 3, 2014, a sum of $80, 000 s was paid to Ahmed Usman.
On September 4, 2014, the sum of $40,000 was paid to Neil and Elizabeth and on September 8, the sum of $700 was paid to Ahmed Usman.
Under cross examination by the defendant’s lawyer, Paul Erokoro (SAN), the witness said that Goidel’s account was open on May 20, 2014 while ICIL account was opened November 2006.
He said the companies operate corporate account and met the requirements for operating the accounts.
Cross examination continues today.
